China Focus Travel - Fully Escorted Tours

Travel Tips

What To Pack
- Pack lightly and bring casual clothing. A comfortable pair of walking shoes is essential. Bring shirts, a sweater and a jacket that can be worn in layers as needed. Shorts and jeans are permissible. China has humid summers and cold, dry winters; you should pack your bags while keeping in mind the season in which you are traveling. Definitely check on weather reports for the cities you are visiting during the week prior to your trip in order to be best prepared upon arrival.
- China's electrical system operates on 220/240 volts AC, 50 Hz. Most hotels have two and three prong sockets that need specific adapters for use with U.S. made appliances. It is advisable to bring your own electric converters and adapter plugs if you will need to use electrical appliances during your tour. *Please see FAQ about plug adaptors.
- Long-term travel can cause tourists to develop stomach upset; therefore personal toiletries and medications including Imodium and Lomotil are advisable additions for your list of things to pack.
- Slide film and certain types of batteries are difficult to find in some areas of China, so pack plenty of these items. Print film and videotapes are available in China, but are cheapest when purchased in the U.S. Thus, it is also a good idea to carry these items in sufficient supply.
- Besides credit cards and traveler's checks, bring cash because there are often occasions where only cash is accepted. Also note traveler's checks are becoming more difficult to cash in Chinese banks, therefore, have cash on hand in case of difficulties.
Here Are Some Examples Of What Outlets In China Look Like
Meeting Your Guide

Once you leave the restricted area of the airport, a guide will be there to meet you. The minimum tour size is 6 people; However, the tour must have 10 people in order for a national guide to be assigned. A national guide stays with you throughout the trip, but as you travel to each city, your tour will be enhanced by the insights provided by a new local guide. In rare cases where a tour does not have 10 people, local guides will ensure that you arrive and depart from each city smoothly.
Tipping

Tips are not included in your tour fare. Tipping is customary and not mandatory. Our guides and drivers are extremely conscientious and work to provide our travelers with excellent service; making their experience in China one that they will always remember fondly. Please remember to show your appreciation for their dedication. Our recommendation is listed after the departure dates and prices of each tour.
Baggage

Upon leaving customs, your luggage handling responsibilities end with curbside pickup by a luggage van. During the tour, your luggage will be delivered directly to the hotel lobby and then your room. Upon departure, your luggage is picked up and returned to the van for the next leg of your trip. Always lock your luggage during transit in China! Please check our Terms & Conditions for the weight and size limitations. It would also prove helpful to check with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) procedures prior to departing on your tour for packing tips and other important information.
Weather in China

China is a vast country (the fourth largest in the world in terms of area) and its climate/temperature has a wide variation. Normally, the south tends to be humid while the north is quite dry. Weather is mostly mild except the extreme northeast and northwest areas. Please refer to the average temperature chart on our weather page.
Water

Do not drink tap water while in China because it is not potable. All hotel rooms provide a container of sterilized water for your use, and many hotels have an electric heater for you to boil water on your own. Additionally, bottled water is inexpensive and readily available throughout China.
Communications

International Direct Dial (IDD) is available at most hotels in China. Check with the operator of the hotel or with your national guide on how to dial IDD calls. Rates for international phone calls are generally expensive. It's best to purchase phone cards in China because you get more minutes for the dollar. Especially since you do not get charged connection fees associated with a phone card purchased from the U.S. If your loved one needs to get a hold of you while you are on the tour in China, he/she should dial the following 011-86-area code-phone number. Dialing from China to the U.S. is 0-01-area code-phone number. Postal service from China to North America & Europe takes about a week.
Consider Renting A Cell Phone

Cell phone rentals are becoming increasing popular due to the convenience factor while you're traveling abroad. Not only do you have a working phone with you at all times, but you can also check/send emails, send/receive text messages, surf the web and more! All this for as little as $2.99 a day for the rental fee plus $24.99 for a SIM card w/ roughly 20+ minutes of pre-paid talk time based on an international rate of $0.39/min. Local calls (within China) are $0.10/min. The cell phones can receive calls from anywhere in the world, however, from China you can only dial out to the U.S. and Canada. RENT A PHONE NOW!
Currency

The Chinese legal tender is renminbi (RMB), meaning "People's Money." The basic unit of RMB is YUAN. Jiao (10 Jiao equals one Yuan) and Fen (10 Fen equals one Jiao) are of nominal value and best treated like U.S. pennies. Currently, one U.S. Dollar equals approximately $7.1Yuan (based on national exchange rate posted on Jan. 15, 2008). Currency can be changed at all airports, most hotels, banks and friendship stores. However, you must show your passport during each transaction. Retain all currency conversion receipts if you wish to convert Yuan back into USD or another foreign currency when leaving China. It is also not advisable to have a large amount of cash in hand at all times. For larger purchases, use your credit cards. Please contact your banks and credit card companies for any international usage charges. Most hotels, friendship stores and other commercial stores accept major credit cards (Visa, Master Card and American Express).
Shopping

China is a bargain-shoppers paradise, offering a marvelous selection of high quality, crafted gifts such as jade, porcelain, ceramics, cloisonné, jewelry, carpets, silks, embroideries, furniture and more. In most shops, prices are clearly marked and clerks speak English. During each tour, you will have many opportunities to enjoy shopping at friendship stores, factory gift shops, hotel shopping arcades, "free markets" and China's many new joint venture shops. Insured shipping on heavy items is readily available. Take advantage of the incredible variety of unique and treasured arts and crafts found only in China. Please take a business card from the hotel you are staying if you plan to go around on your own. That way you will get back to the right place.

China Focus will be glad to assist with any shopping requirements, however, we are not responsible for any items purchased while on tour. All transactions between the customer and vendor are to be handled directly with the shop you purchased from. We strongly urge for you to save all receipts and to use a credit card whenever possible for recourse purposes.
Health

To ensure smooth operation of all tours within China, the Chinese handling agency requires exclusion of any person whose health condition makes them unsuitable for long trips due to mental illness, serious, chronic or contagious illness, advanced pregnancy, senility or infirmity. Vaccinations are not required. As health requirements change without notice, please check with your travel agent or public health service for current required or recommended inoculations.
U.S. Re-Entry and Customs

Each passenger is allowed to bring to the U.S. items amounting to no more than $800. Items with a total sum of more than $800 are subject to a tax upon entering the U.S.